UN Intervention in Belhaj appeal

Mark Scott acted for Interveners from the United Nations at the appeal heard before the Supreme Court on 9 – 12 November 2015. The case was concerned with whether a former opponent of Colonel Gaddafi could bring a claim against the British Government for alleged complicity in his rendition to and subsequent torture in Libya.

The Appellants, including the British Government, the Rt Hon. Jack Straw, the Home Office, the former head of MI6 Sir Mark Allen and others, argued that the foreign act of state doctrine applied and that the claim was barred by state immunity.